The Ultimate Sacrifice
by TheHorizonSea
Summary: Ganon has finally been locked away in the seal, and its time for the two heroes to part ways and say their final goodbyes. ZeLink


_**So this is my first ZeLink short story (and probably my last because I hate writing short stories).**_

_**I had to write a fan fiction for my writing class and then submit it onto this website, which I just thought was totally awesome.**_

_**But yeah, it isn't my greatest work, but I'm doing this for the grades, so feedback is REALLY necessary. I don't care if it's constructive criticism or whatever. Just please review this or my mark won't be as great. I'm a little nervous, so please no nasty comments.**_

_**Thanks a ton for reading!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Legend of Zelda.**_

_**(This story takes place during the Ocarina of Time)**_

It was that one glance that ended it all.

Or began it I suppose, it really depends on how you look at the situation. It could also be argued that it wasn't the captivating glance that began it; one might argue it was the birth of the two destined to be that really ended it. But it all could have been avoided if they had just managed to avoid paths.

But this was the end. They stood before each other, sweat and dirt caking on their faces and knowledge of battle weary in their eyes.

The evil overlord was finally sealed away, and peace restored to the land for a time.

Link smiled at his friend; he had grown rather fond of her over their journey, and since Gannon was finally defeated, he could act upon his feelings in hopes that she might possibly feel the same.

She looked up; a tear brimmed in the corner of her eye. Worry crossed Links face, and he stepped forward to comfort her. She held her hand up, stopping him mid stride.

"Link. All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was of my doing. I was too young to understand the consequence of trying to control the Sacred Realm and I dragged you into it as well, and for that, I am sorry."

He furrowed his brow, not understanding where this was leading.

"Zelda, I don't-"

"Please, I am royalty. And it's best if you refer to me as such." Her tone was precise, but more tears spilled from her eyes.

Link stepped back, feeling like he was just struck across the cheek. She had never been quite that cold to him.

"And it's time for me to make up for my mistakes."

He just stared at her.

"You must lay the master sword to rest and close the door of time."

"What?" Another strike to the cheek.

She didn't even register his comment or mood.

"You need to do this; it will put my conscience at ease. However, by doing this, it means the roads between times will be closed." Her shoulders shook slightly, but she held her head high, and kept her composure.

"Zelda, hold on a second." He just wanted her to be silent for a moment.

She held her hand out and sniffled back the tears. "Give me the ocarina. As a sage, I can return you to your original time."

He just stared at her outstretched hands, unable to register what he was hearing. He slowly slid the ocarina out of his pocket, and placed it in her hand. His rough callused fingers touched her dainty smooth palm, and his heart constricted. She placed her hand over his and stared into his eyes, tears pooling in her own.

"It's time for us to say goodbye."

He stared desperately into her eyes, wanting to speak his mind, but feeling like there was a rope around his neck. The tears rolled down her cheek, and she slid the instrument from his fingers, and she slipped out of his reach.

She placed her lips against the mouth hole and played the song of time for the final time. The notes rang through the air and sailed through Links ears. The breeze began to swirl around Links feet, and he could feel his presence slowly starting to fade.

He stared at her urgently, wanting to reach out for her and hold her in his arms. She stood back and the tears slipped down her cheek in an endless stream. She wanted to keep him with her, she wanted to grow old with him and remember the adventures they went on. But keeping him here would be punishment for him, and selfish of her.

He almost couldn't see his feet anymore.

She pulled the instrument from her mouth and continued to stare into his eyes. So much unspoken emotion between their gaze. Everything they had gone through would be forgotten, everything they shared, gone. She turned away, unable to watch as her best friend faded.

It was now or never.

"Zelda!"

She turned her head and met his eyes once more.

He stepped forward, captured her dainty face in his rough hands, and brought his lips onto hers.

Their eyes closed, their lips fitting together like a puzzle piece. He pulled her closer, wanting to feel her until he wouldn't be able to anymore. He wanted to remember the way her lips felt so perfect against his. It was all a feeble hope that he would be able to remember her forever.

He never wanted to forget.

A tear dribbled onto his nose from her crying. Their lips pressed gently to each other's, their minds spun with emotion, and their desperation for one another forced them to cling to each other as though their lives depended on it. Zelda's stomach twisted and leapt into her throat, and Link found that he couldn't breathe when he was running his hand through her hair.

His lips left a permanent mark on her and her to him. The kiss seemed to last an eternity, and eternity that ended too soon.

And then, he was gone. The rough touch of his hands faded, the soft feel of his lips disappeared, and the stomach twisting feeling she had was replaced with a numb, empty gutless feeling.

She clenched the ocarina to her chest as one last tear streaked down her pale skin.

"Goodbye Link."

He was falling. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel it. His body was all over the place; everything was jumbled and a mess. He couldn't tell his left from right or at what time period he was in. The only thing he could be certain of was that he had strong feelings for Zelda, and that now, nothing was certain. He clamored to keep hold of memories that were slipping between his fingers like sand. Everything was disappearing and fading, until nothing but old memories from the past was left.

And they were just children again, unbeknown and innocent to the world, and yet they had already endured enough pain and hurt to last a life time. They had seen the ugliest parts of the world, spent years of their life rutting through hell and back again. They had witnessed things people only had in dreams, they had fallen victim to the worlds cruel trap. And they could feel it. They could feel the pang in their chests and the damage to their minds, but as children, they didn't know what it was, or how it would be dealt with. But it was there. And it would gnaw away at them from the inside out

But they were just children.

Innocent children who had lived through life changing events, only to be thrown back into their bleak past to re-live the life they never had. And they could not remember a single event.

So now, they had fallen victim to the after math.

The young boy, clad in the green tunic and the blue fairy sprite fluttering around his head, stared blankly at the pretty girl standing before him. She turned from the window, uncertain as to why she had been looking through it in the first place. Their eyes connected, and time froze.

Something pondered at the back of their heads. A nagging feeling like they had forgotten some important detail as to why they were standing there. Their eyes furrowed, and they just studied one another for a long while. They knew each other, but they didn't. They had met before, but they hadn't.

Not a single word was uttered for a while, and yet everything that needed to be said was already uttered.

"How-" She stopped herself, unsure of how to continue. "Do I… know you?"

He wasn't sure how to answer.

"I. I think so." Their words were slow and calculated. "I don't know."

"Neither do I."

It was odd, because the knowledge was there; it was just locked away in an inaccessible point.

"How did you get past the guards?"

"Umm…" He turned around and looked down the way he assumed he came, expecting the answer to be standing behind him. "I don't know."

She stared on, still puzzled. "Are you… Link?" It was like a shot in the dark for her.

He nodded.

"And I'm-" She went to introduce herself.

"Zelda." He finished her sentence for her.

They just kept staring; confusion filling their minds.

"Is that your fairy?"

He looked up at the floating sprite. "Uh, yeah. Navi."

"Then you must be from Kokiri Forest."

"Yeah. I guess I am."

Her eyes darted around the room vaguely. "You should probably go before a guard comes in here. They won't take it too well to find you in here. This is a secret garden after all."

"Yeah, I should probably go. Nice meeting you." He waved and went to walk away.

"Goodbye. Link." Her words filled with meaning, but nothing above a whisper.

But even as they left, intending to forget about this moment, they lingered in each other's mind, for a long time.

So, would you do it?

Would you give up everything you had if it meant that the one you loved could live their life the way it was supposed to be? What if it meant that you wouldn't end up in their future? What if it meant sacrificing everything you had, so that they would be happy? Would you die for them, inside and out?

Because that in itself, is the ultimate sacrifice.

_**Thanks again for reading. Please give me your feed back, because the more I get the higher my grade is :)**_

_**Happy reading!**_


End file.
